Piano teacher holds key to winning Best Dressed Lady gong
‘You don’t have to wear designer gear’
A PIANO teacher from Co. Down seems to have struck a chord with the nation’s fashion mavens after scooping her FOURTH Best Dressed Lady title in a single year.
Hundreds of glamorous women descended on Ballybrit with just one aim in mind – winning the title of Best Dressed at the Galway Races and a €10,000 prize.
But in the end, Charlene Byers, from Newry, a teacher who also owns a hat shop, scooped the covetable prize.
Charlene won the judges over with a blush pink Umit Kutluk Design cape dress, which she paired with a matching floral headpiece by Laura Hanlon.
The mother of two paired her chic ensemble with statement-making heels from high street store Next.
Charlene has become a well-known face on the racing circuit in the past year, having won the best-dressed prize at the Downpatrick race day last September.
She also won the grand title at Cork race day in April and again at Naas Racecourse’s Royal Ascot Trials Day in May.
Knowing how daunting it can be to step forward for the Ladies Day competition, Charlene was keen to encourage others to follow her lead.
‘I know I’m wearing a designer dress, but you can get your dress from Next,’ she said.
‘I’m a big fan of the high street. This is the first time I’ve worn a designer dress for a ladies day event.’
Elsewhere, gloomy rain clouds hung over the racecourse for most of the day, but it did nothing to dampen the spirits of those attending the week-long festival’s fourth day.
This year, the Ladies Day competition was judged by Loughrea-born entrepreneur Chanelle McCoy who has been adding glamour to the world of horseracing for many years and herself won the Ladies Day Best Dressed prize in 2005.
While many of the women vying for attention from the judges wore brand new ensembles, Chanelle saved thousands of euro by choosing to wear a ‘pre-owned’ dress that she has had in her wardrobe for years.
She was joined on the judging panel for the prize, which was sponsored by the G Hotel, by fashion editor Bairbre Power, and Mandy Maher, owner of Galway’s Catwalk Model Agency. Winner Charlene left the race course with a €6,000 diamond and pearl pendant from Galway city jewellers, Cobwebs.
She also won a €2,000 cash prize and an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Paris.